Autoinjector

Abstract

An autoinjector includes a case, a needle shroud telescopically coupled to the case, a carrier slidably arranged in the case, a collar rotatably and slidably disposed in the case and coupled to the needle shroud and the carrier, and a trigger button operably coupled to the carrier. The case includes a rib. The needle shroud is movable between a first extended position, a retracted position, and a locked second extended position. The carrier is adapted to hold a medicament container and movable from a first axial position to a second axial position relative to the case. The carrier abuts the rib in the first axial position and the needle shroud is in the first extended position and disengages the rib when the needle shroud is in the retracted position and the trigger button is pressed to advance the carrier to the second axial position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 viewing a medicament of a syringe from an exterior of a case of an auto-injector while the syringe is inside the case by viewing the medicament through a transparent portion of the case; 
 removing a cap from a distal end of the case to remove a protective needle sheath covering a needle of the syringe while the auto-injector limits (i) a rotation of a collar relative to the case and (ii) a distal movement of a syringe carrier relative to the case, the syringe carrier holding the syringe in a fixed axial position as the cap is removed from the distal end of the case; 
 after removing the cap from the distal end of the case, moving a first part of the auto-injector relative to the case from (i) a first position in which an axial end of the first part extends from an axial end of the case by a first distance to (ii) a second position in which the axial end of the first part is closer to the axial end of the case, 
 while moving the first part from the first position to the second position, directly engaging an axial portion of the first part to two beams and deflecting the two beams in a radially inward direction for allowing the auto-injector to 
 (i) move the syringe carrier in a distal direction relative to the case under a distally-directed biasing force of a spring until the syringe carrier contacts a front stop at which the needle of the syringe is or can be injected into an injection site, 
 (ii) when the syringe carrier is in contact with the front stop, move a plunger of the auto-injector relative to the syringe carrier in the distal direction to displace a stopper within the syringe to dispense the medicament from the syringe through the needle for injection into the injection site, the spring being external to the plunger, 
 (iii) rotate the collar relative to the case about a longitudinal axis of the case, and 
 (iv) after rotating the collar relative to the case, generate an audible feedback or a tactile feedback to indicate a status of the auto-injector; and 
 viewing the plunger from the exterior of the case by viewing a portion of the plunger through the transparent portion of the case. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two beams extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the case. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein respective axial ends of the two beams are oriented towards the axial end of the case and are proximal to a proximal flange of the syringe during use of the auto-injector. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , comprising directly engaging respective axial ends of
 the two beams by the axial portion of the first part to deflect the two beams in the radially inward direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the case comprises the front stop. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , comprising limiting a movement of the first part relative to the case after rotating the collar relative to the case to limit a re-use of the auto-injector. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medicament comprises a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or an analogue or derivative thereof. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 after a cap has been removed from a distal end of a case of an auto-injector, moving a first part of the auto-injector relative to the case from (i) a first position in which an axial end of the first part extends from an axial end of the case by a first distance to (ii) a second position in which the axial end of the first part is closer to the axial end of the case such that an axial portion of the first part directly engages two beams and deflects the two beams in a radially inward direction for allowing the auto-injector to 
 (i) move a syringe carrier holding a syringe in a distal direction relative to the case under a distally-directed biasing force of a spring until the syringe carrier contacts a front stop at which a needle of the syringe is or can be injected into an injection site, 
 (ii) when the syringe carrier is in contact with the front stop, move a plunger of the auto-injector relative to the syringe carrier in the distal direction to displace a stopper within the syringe to dispense a medicament from the syringe through the needle for injection into the injection site, the spring being external to the plunger, 
 (iii) rotate a collar of the auto-injector relative to the case about a longitudinal axis of the case, and 
 (iv) after rotating the collar relative to the case, generate an audible feedback or a tactile feedback to indicate a status of the auto-injector; and 
 viewing the plunger from an exterior of the case by viewing a portion of the plunger through a transparent portion of the case. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , comprising removing the cap from the distal end of the case to remove a protective needle sheath covering the needle of the syringe within the auto-injector. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , comprising limiting a rotation of the collar relative to the case while the cap is removed from the distal end of the case. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , comprising limiting a distal movement of the syringe carrier relative to the case while the cap is removed from the distal end of the case. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , comprising directly engaging respective axial ends of
 the two beams by the axial portion of the first part to deflect the two beams in the radially inward direction. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the respective axial ends of the two beams are directed towards the axial end of the case and are proximal to a proximal flange of the syringe during use of the auto-injector. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the case comprises the front stop. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the medicament comprises a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or an analogue or derivative thereof. 
     
     
       16. A method comprising:
 moving a first part of an auto-injector relative to a case of the auto-injector such that an axial portion of the first part directly engages two beams and deflects the two beams in a radially inward direction for allowing the auto-injector to 
 (i) move a syringe carrier holding a syringe in a distal direction relative to the case under a distally-directed biasing force of a spring until the syringe carrier contacts a front stop at which a needle of the syringe is or can be injected into an injection site, 
 (ii) when the syringe carrier is in contact with the front stop, move a plunger of the auto-injector relative to the syringe carrier in the distal direction to displace a stopper within the syringe to dispense a medicament from the syringe through the needle for injection into the injection site, the spring being external to the plunger, 
 (iii) rotate a collar of the auto-injector relative to the case about a longitudinal axis of the case, and 
 (iv) after rotating the collar relative to the case, generate an audible feedback or a tactile feedback; and 
 allowing a portion of the plunger to be viewed from an exterior of the case through a transparent portion of the case. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , comprising directly engaging respective axial ends of the two beams by the axial portion of the first part to deflect the two beams in the radially inward direction to release the two beams from being held in a fixed axial position within the case. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , comprising directly engaging respective axial ends of the two beams by the axial portion of the first part to deflect the two beams in the radially inward direction. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the front stop is located distally of a location in which the two beams releasably engage the case. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the case comprises the front stop. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the medicament comprises a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or an analogue or derivative thereof. 
     
     
       22. A method comprising:
 moving a first part of an auto-injector relative to a case of the auto-injector such that an axial portion of the first part directly engages two beams and deflects the two beams in a radially inward direction; 
 after the two beams have deflected in the radially inward direction, distally moving a syringe carrier holding a syringe relative to the case under a distally-directed biasing force of a spring until the syringe carrier contacts a stop portion and a needle of the syringe is or can be injected into an injection site; 
 with the syringe carrier in contact with the stop portion, distally moving a plunger of the auto-injector relative to the syringe carrier to displace a stopper within the syringe to dispense a medicament from the syringe through the needle for injection into the injection site, the spring being external to the plunger; 
 rotating a collar of the auto-injector relative to the case about a longitudinal axis of the case; 
 after rotating the collar relative to the case, generating an audible feedback or a tactile feedback to indicate a status of the auto-injector; and 
 allowing a portion of the plunger to be viewed from an exterior of the case through a transparent portion of the case. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein respective axial ends of the two beams are oriented towards an axial end of the case in which the first part extends from prior to the first part moving relative to the case. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , comprising directly engaging the respective axial ends of the two beams by the axial portion of the first part to deflect the two beams in the radially inward direction to release the two beams from being held in a fixed axial position within the case. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the respective axial ends of the two beams are proximal to a proximal flange of the syringe during use of the auto-injector. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the case comprises the stop portion. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 22 , comprising directly engaging respective axial ends of the two beams by the axial portion of the first part to deflect the two beams in the radially inward direction. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the stop portion is located distally of a location in which the two beams releasably engage the case. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 22 , comprising dispensing substantially all of the medicament from the syringe. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , wherein the medicament comprises a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or an analogue or derivative thereof.